Bull Is Back In Richmond, Williamsburg

Broadcast News

Did my ears deceive me, or was that Henry "The Bull" Del Toro on the radio?

I was eating dinner in Williamsburg on a recent Saturday, and this mellifluous voice came wafting through the restaurant. It could only be Henry.

It has been a year since The Bull was fired from WROX-FM (96.1). Well, fans, he's landed at WXLR (96.5), a modern rock station called "The Planet" that serves the Williamsburg and Richmond markets. Del Toro is now working full time there as the "swing" announcer, says program director J.Y. Stevens, which is the person who fills in for other deejays who are out or on vacation.

He's also working at WXLR's sister stations in the Richmond market, says Stevens. They include alternative rock station WBZU-FM (106.5), country station WKHK-FM (95.3), adult contemporary WMXB-FM (103.7) and oldies station WLEE-AM (1320).

JUDY, JUDY. In last week's column about Nielsen ratings, I noted the popularity of "Judge Judy," the WGNT-TV, Channel 27, program up against the 6 p.m. newscasts. A Smithfield reader and "Judy" watcher called to tell me why.

"The news is all the same," she says. "They get on one thing and talk it to death. It's boring."

And another thing, she says: "Why do they tell you to stay tuned at 11 for more information. If they know the news then, why don't they tell it."

LINDA, LINDA. For an insider's look at the Hampton City Council agenda, tune in Councilwoman Linda McNeeley's update on WBYM-AM (1490). She'll report at 8:30 a.m. on the second and fourth Tuesdays prior to the council meetings on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month.

PAX MOVES. WPXV-TV, Channel 49, moves to an office on Clearfield Avenue in Virginia Beach next week. The station has been sharing space with Lockwood Broadcasting. Last year, Hampton-based Lockwood sold WJCD to Paxson Communications, and the station's call letters were changed to WPXV.

WPXV is part of the network of television stations purchased by Lowell "Bud" Paxson of West Palm Beach, Fla. On Aug. 31, Paxson will launch PAX NET, a family-oriented programming network that will feature reruns of shows such as "Touched By an Angel" and "Diagnosis Murder." WPXV is carried on most Cox Communications systems.

This week, Paxson clinched a deal to offer $275 million in stock that will provide the capital needed to buy additional stations, construct new stations and fund the launch of PAX NET. The company will have 78 stations, the largest group of stations in the United States, and will be able to reach approximately 73 percent of all U.S. television households.

RADIO BUSINESS. David Daniels will debut a twice-a-month talk show geared to the African-American business community at noon today on WNIS-AM (790).

Daniels is the president of All for Unification, a networking company for African-American businesses in Hampton Roads. He brings these businesses together and promotes the idea that they should patronize each other.

On today's program, Daniels and co-host Carletta Waddler will interview Willie Brown, executive director of The Tim Reid Scholarship Foundation, and Brenda Andrews, publisher and owner of The New Journal and Guide newspaper.

- David Nicholson can be reached at 247-4794 or online at dnicholson@dailypress.com